Thunder. [Enter] First Apparition, an armed head

MACBETH      Tell me, thou unknown power—

FIRST WITCH            He knows thy thought.

Hear his speech, but say thou naught.

FIRST APPARITION  Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff.

Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.

He descends

MACBETH      Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution thanks.

Thou hast harped my fear aright. But one word more.

FIRST WITCH            He will not be commanded.(4.1.68-74)

Apparitions! A challenge in performance, especially if the descriptions are taken literally. Here the head is armed because it is wearing a helmet (it’s a neat possibility that this might be the same helmet originally worn by the Ghost in Hamlet); it’s the most straightforward of the apparitions if, for example, they’re imagined as appearing from the cauldron, set over a trapdoor in the stage (which means that the cauldron has to be big enough for an actor, albeit possibly one of the boys, to rise up from within it).

Macbeth starts off by addressing it, as if he’s the one in charge and they’re doing his bidding: tell me, thou unknown power (which does helpfully emphasise that it’s still unclear what sort of power is at stake here: these aren’t the fiends and spirits of Henry VI 1 and 2, for instance, they’re not identifiably demonic). But the First Witch cuts him short: he knows thy thought. You don’t need to ask; he knows what you want already (and he knows your name, too). Much creepier and more mysterious. Hear his speech, but say thou naught. You’re here to listen, not to speak yourself. Keep quiet. The Apparition’s words seem unambiguous: beware Macduff. Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough. That’s all you need to know, and all I’m going to say. And the apparition descends, presumably back into the cauldron, or otherwise into a stage trap, and there is a hellish suggestion in such a descent. Macbeth tries, perhaps, to reclaim some agency in saying thank you (and there’s the possibility of a laugh, even): whate’er thou art, for thy good caution thanks. I appreciate the warning, whoever you are, mysterious apparition; thou hast harped my fear aright. To harp is to guess, to put into words (as in, to harp on about something), but it does have the residual sense of the musical instrument, something sounded, a string plucked. The idea of Macbeth as a taut vibrating string, quivering with suspicion is apt and vivid; the apparition’s words have confirmed what he’s feared already, that Macduff is his enemy. But one word more: any more details? is there a timeframe on that fear, for instance? He will not be commanded. You listen, you don’t speak; the apparitions are not here to do your bidding. They are the masters.